Manually selective variable transmission means



May 24, 1932. A. c. PETERSON 1,859,461

MANUALLY SELECTIVE VARIABLE TRANSMISSION MEANS Filed Dec. 6, 1928 Patented May 24, 1932 ADOLPHE C. PETERSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 1 MANUALLY SELECTIVE VARIABLE TRANS-MISSION Application filed December 6, 1928. Serial No. 324,297.

My invention relates to transmission devices of the variable character and particularly to a transmission means which is selective in character and which has certain other characteristics wherefore it is called manually selective variable transmission means.

The principal devices and combinations of devices are as hereinafter described and as hereinafter defined in the claims. The principal object of my invention is to provide a variable transmission means for use particularly with automotive engines in automotive vehicles, which transmission means shall be simple in construction, simple in operation, durable in use, and cheap in manufacture while having the particular other characteristics. A principal object of my invention is to provide a transmission means which shall be power actuated and which shall at the same time have little complication and which shall at the same time be readily constructed and which shall be durablein use. A principal ob ect of my invention is to provlde a transmission means which shall impose upon the operator in use only the slightest of physical exertion and which shall be capable of variation of the transmission under any conditions of operation particularly in traific conditions and in hill climbing and hill descending, without the usual difliculties of use in such situations. The general object of my invention is to provide an improved transmission means which shall have particular advantages in use especially for the unskilled operator.

In the accompanying drawings which illus trate my invention, like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views. Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view chiefly in vertical section through the axes of the principal operating shafts of the device, some parts being broken away and some parts being shown in full side elevation, this view being taken on the line II of Figures 2 and 3. I

Figure 2 is a section at right angles to that of Figure 1 taken on the line IIII of Figure 1 this view showing a section through the low speed gear .devices,ithe figures showing the device in the gagement. I Figure 3 is asection at right angles to that. of Figure 1 this section being taken through the control lever and its related part.

Figure 4 is a section on line IV IV of Figure 1 at right angles to that of Figure 1.

position for low speed en- Figure 5 is a detail view of an arc of the face of the cam shaft 16 between the peaks of two cams 29.

Referring first to the figures from 1 to 3 inclusive, the numeral 1 indicates a transmisslon case wherein the principal parts of the device are mounted-and the numeral 2 indicates a broken away portion of adifferential casingwhich is related to and attached, preferably, to the transmission casing. These two portions of the casing, that is 1 and 2, are shown separated, and the parts between broken asit is contemplatedthat theportions on the left of Figure 1 would preferably occupy a great length in proportion to the lengthof the other parts, that isas shown.-

T he transmission isshown in a form intended for use with front drive axles of automobiles, or front driving means, but it is contemplated that it may be as well used with a rear driving axle, with slight modifications.

The numeral 3 indicates a drive shaft, I which is intended to be connected in the usual way through an engine clutch, not shown, with an internal combustion engine or any other form of engine. The drive shaft 3 is rotatabl y mounted by means of a large roller bearing 1in the transmission case, this roller bearing being adapted to take end as well as radial thrusts. At the other or frontend of the casing 1 a driven shaft 5 is rotatably mounted by means of a roller bearing 6 securedin the case 1. The roller bearing 6 likewise is adapted to take end as well as radial thrusts. front end has constructed with it a worm 7 a which in the usual manner of worm drives cooperates with a worm wheel 8 which latter The driven shaft 5 at its 7 is only partially shown. The worm wheel 8 while only shown in part is intended to be the usual form of worm wheel mounted by beardrive an'axle either directlyor through Caridan shafts or to drive the front wheels of an automobile through Cardan shafts. The ex treme front end of the driven shaft 5 forward of the worm 7 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 9 adapted to take end as well as radial thrusts.

A main shaft 10 is rotatably mounted by its 7 rear end inthe drive shaft 3 and by its front end in the driven shaft5, so that, except as otherwise hereinafter described, it is-f'reely mountedand mayrotate freely of either of the drive or driven shafts. The main shaft 10 at itsfront portion'has a smaller tublill'al form, its after portion being also tubular in form. The front portion is designated 11 and has on its interior wall keys12. of small section but extendin the entire len 'th axial-ly- I drive shaftJ3, and by of theportion 11. These keys 12 are adapted to slide in keyways 13 in a slidable keyway shaft 11 which is also tubular. The keyway shaft 14: is slidable airiallyinthe tube 11 the keyways 13 sliding on the keys 12 whereby the keyway shaft 11 is not rotatable with respect to the tube 11 and the main shaft 10 which is constructed integrally with the tube 11.

A cam shaft composed of three main parts 15,16, 17, is mounted by its part15 in the are slidable axially of the shaft relative to and uponidrive lreys- 19 formed integrally With'the interior wall'of a cylindrical bore formed in the'front end of the drive Thus the part- 15 of the cam shaft is slidable: axially andin. the hereof-the; drive shaft 3 but is not rotatable with respect to the drive shaft 3 since the-two are bound by the keys and keyways and the drive shaft 3-may there-.

by drive the cam shaft.v The part. 17 of the cam shaft extends forwardly from the cencrumed at 22 and by means of, hand lever 23 may be stationed, the sector 2 1 performing a retaining function as is usual with such control levers.

or secured to it a drum 25 Within which are located-four springs 26, these-springs being, placed substantially'in the form of a circle orsquare aboutthe part 17 of the cam shaft,

where the part 17 is extended beyond thelrey- Way'shaft. The-springs 26 are located in the spaces betweenfour pairs of retainer -shou'lders 27 which are constructed integrally wither secured to the interior of the drum 25 at equi-distant points about the part 17 ofthe cam shaft." The part 17' of-thecam shaft has secured to or construeted with it four bars or posts28 which'are equ-i-distai-itly its part 17 in the key way shaft 141. The part 15 has keyways 18 which spaced circumferentially of the part 17 and are located Within the drum 25, each bar or post 28 being stationed between the two shoul ders of one pair of the retainershoulders 27 The posts 28 are adapted to be revolved with the part 17 in the drum-25 normally.

and

when so revolved in either direction through a few degrees or an arc of a circle, the, posts 28 will abut against the adjacent ends of the four springs 26 and carry or push the end ofthe spring thereby compressing the spring so that the springs then yieldably tend'to return the posts 28 to their normal positions between the retainer shoulders 27 and thus to return the part 17 and the entire cam shaft 15, 16, 17 to itsnormal position with respect to the main shaft and keyway shaft, 1011.; Whichever way the .camshaft revolved from-its normal position with reshaft and keyw'ay shaft spect to the main 10-11 the springs therefore tend. to return the cam shaft to the normal position. The p 7 springs 26 are at their ends so wound or so capped that they are readily engaged-and; dis-- engaged-by the posts 28.; Thesprings are in serted by compression between, their retainer shoulders 27 so thatthey tend tov exert strong retaining urge upon the cam shaft to retain it in its normal position rotationally-with respectto the main shaft but that urge-'01".. force is-net sov great butthat itwill-be readily overcome in the engaging, action under driving action upon the drive shaft 3, as here-- inafter described. 7 The part 16 {of the cam shaft 15, 16, 17 which is the central part with respect to the length of 'thezcamsh-aft' hasv four cams or.

lobes 29 equirdistantly spacedabout the cam shaft, all in the same transverse plane ofthe 1 These cams 29 have sloped ap preaches in each directioncircumferentially ofthe camshaft and the cams; 29 are of such,

camv shaft.

a height radially from the axis of the cam-- shaft that they will perform the function hereinafter. .described. The recessed por 'tions 30 of the camv face are only veryslight-f ly radially extendedfrom the circle which is.

ofthe same .diameter'as the face of theke'y- Way shaft 14- and the part .15of thecamv r shaft to perform the function hereinafter def. The keyway shaft 11 at its extreme frontend has constructed integrally with it I I shaftv have inclined surfaces 31 whereby there same cross sectional or transverse planeof the cam shaft, and are substantially the same length longitudinally. v I

The main shaft 10 has in its side wallin three transverse planes, small rectangular openings 32,33,34, related respectively to the spur gears 35, 36', 37 the latter two of which arerotatably mounted uponthe main-shaft 10 as a bearing. Thespurgears';35',36, 37 are thus four engagement rollers tween them so that while they are very close togetherthey will not have excessive friction in relative rotation. The spur gear 3'!- is secured to or constructed integrally with a short sleeve 39 which is rotatably mounted between the near end of the driven shaft 5 and its roller bearing 6 so that both the sleeve 39 and its spur gear 37 and the near end of the driven shaft 5 are rotatably supported'by the roller bearing 6; The sleeve 39 at its front end has secured to it a dog clutch ele-.

ment 40 with which a double ended dog- "clutch element 41 may engage when the latter is moved to its rearward position for forward driving of the automotive. vehicle. Thedouble ended-dog clutch element 41' when in its forward position will engagea dog clutch element 42 secured to a sprocket wheel 43 which latter is otherwise loosely revolvable upon the driven shaft 5. In the central position or neutral position neither the spur gear 37 nor the sprocket wheel 43 isengaged to the driven shaft 5. The double ended dog clutch element 41 moves by its internal keys '44 over keyways shaft 5.

.The sprocket wheel 43 by a chain 45 has cooperation with a sprocket wheel 46, the latter being secured to a secondary shaft 47 which related in the side of-the driven is revolvably mounted in bearings 48, 49 in.

thecase 1 below the main shaft 10. The sec.- ondary shaft 47 has secured to orconstructed with it spur gears 50, 51, 52 which are in constant engagement respectively with the spur gears 35, 36,37 and are of such relative size that the low speed engagement is secured by engagement of gears 35, 50, intermediate speed by engagement of that direct or high speed is secured .bythe direct engagementhereinafter described.

- The rectangular openings 32, 33, 34 of the mainshaft 10 each has located in it an engagement roller 53, 54, or 55. There are 53 in one trans-- verse plane and four rollers 54 in one. transverse plane and four rollers 55 in another transverse plane. their normal disengaged position liewith substantially one half of their cross section within the main shaft 10 and the other half.

lying in the rectangular openingbut only very slightly protrudingfroni the main shaft gears 36, 51, and so All of'the rollers when in shaft and this pro-.

56, 57, 58 are internal with ment may be obtained from either direction; Each spur gear 35, 36, 37 thus has four rachet teeth in its internal-wall, but each spurgear 35, 36, and 37 has a sufficient internal bearing:

bore at each of its ends that the requisite bear-' ing on the main shaft 10 is procured. At the second stage of protrusion of the rollers in the" engagement action full and firm engagement of the spur gear to the main shaft 10 is se cured. r

The cam shaft 15, 16,17 is shiftable axially by means of the yoke lever described and thus may be moved manually to either of three po-' sitions, one with the cams 29 and their recesses 30 in the transverse plane of the rachet teeth of thelow speed spur gear 35, second, with the cams and recesses in the transverse plane of the intermediate spurgear 36, and third, with the cams and recesses in the transverse plane of the ratchet teeth in the spur gear 37 whereby direct engagement of the drive and driven shafts is procured. This shifting movement is not attempted until the engine clutch related to the drive shaft 3 is disengaged, but on such. disengagement of they engine clutchthe cam shaft isfreely movable axially to either of its three positions. In this axial movement the cam shaft occupies its normal position rotationally relative to the main shaft and its keywa-y shaft 1'1 being so stationedby means of the springs-26and in this normal position rotationally the cams 29 lie in a mid-position circumferentially between the rectangularopenings and their related engagement rollers. The engagement" rollers all are so located that they lie in four lines on the surface of the main shaft 10 whereby the cams 29 maybe moved axially' of'the main shaft to either position without engaging any of the rollers. Vhen so moved axially the inclined surfaces at the ends of the recesses" 30 first engage the four rollers of any spur gear set and slightly lift these four engagement rollers so they emergeslightly axially from'their positionsso that thev would then have the first engagement position,- that of slight engagement with the related rachet teeth of the's'pur gear passed in the axial movement of the. cam shaft.

Onfurther movement the rollers would be passed and the next four rollers similarly slightly protruded to their first engagement positions. It is to'be noted that the distance between the engagement rollers of each set should preferablybe as great andslightly. more than the length of the cam shaft. part l 16 whereby at no time is there dangenof more than one set of rollers being protruded; When the cam shaft is thus stationed in any engagement position desired, by the operator, the operator then engages the engine clutch if propulsion isdesired. The drive shaft 3 will then tend to revolve the cam shaft 15, 16, 17 inthe same direction with it by-means of the keys in the drive'sha-ffiand ear: and

the ratchet teeth of thespur gear selected-and thusfirmly engage the spur gear selectedto themain shaft-.10 and to. the cam-shaft15, 16, 17 and-thus to the drive shaft 3 g It istobenote'd that the first engageposition or protrusion: will: effect sufficient-engagement so: that the selected spur gear will exert some restrain inga force on-themain shaft andthus thecam- I shaft'will be forced against its springs26. so. that 'fullzprotrusion of the engagement roll ers selected isprocured and thus firm-envga-gement is-procuredof the gear. selected It isto be noted that the springs- 26 may 'be on ly very slightly restraining upon the camshaft. so thatthe engagement of the engine clutch and driving ofthe drive" shaft.

3..by the eng ne would procure relative rota-- tion'of the camshaft to the-main shaft by 7 the slight'fri ction of the. spur gears upon the mainshaft but'it is preferable that the slight elevation of the recesses 30 be=suehtlratthesag firsthengagement position is positively in duced and the. firm engagement by the -relative rotation thereby produced. The force ofz-gravity and centrifugal force upon the-.- engagement'rollers may be relied upon topros cure the firstslight engagementewhich. will; producethe relative rotation ofth'e cam shaft.

As. there are four rollers'in each section or. set oneyroller of each set is. always in'suoh position that gravity will produce the slight: :5 extension necessary -if; centrifugal force does not produce it. The cam shaft15, 16, 17 may bermagnetizedand thustend to keep the-engagement rollers retired except when they; are intended tobe-engaged. But under high speeds the speed of relative rotation of. the

'gearswillbe su.ch..that the rollers will not protrude sufficiently. to cause losses by inf-x pinging against the ratchet teeth of -disen-. V gaged spurgears: V 1

In all forward driving engagements. era when such-are desired the-operator would by handlever: 59, and its yoke move the double ended fdogclutch element so that the spur gearv 3.7 is engaged with the driven shaft '5 for reverse driving the operatorwould bylever' 59 engage the sprocket wheel 43. to; driven shaftfiwlrereby the partsare'in positionfor @reverse driving, the cams QQ'being:

' for reverse; drivingplacedto 'engage either the;. in.termediate or. lowspeedv gear.1 35

on anydisengagement ofitliaengina clutch the cam shafti immediatelytakes the normal position rotationall'yirand on any":re'=' engagement. of-the engine; clutch; if; the; cam;

shaft is properly stationed athe: cams; 29 cm 7O gage the spur; gear: selected I H It 's' to be; noted that. the. maaini's'haftz'andi thefcam shaft are always-inuaipredetermined; position. rotationally relative :itoz each tetherwhen :the drive shaft; is disengaged zfromath'e: 75. engine by the-engine clutch;;the. being shown.- And in .thisnormalilposition; there is no engagement ofrth'e cams -29 Wit-hi? any of the rollers and asthe rollexsiamallr in' the same parallel alignmentiiinfour'linesasol parallelv to the axis of the camshaft thecams; 29' may pass between those lines -ofrollers as the cam shaft is proved 'by' its control lever by the operator in .c'h'anginggearseanchtl'reae is therefore no obstruction-:t'o the. easy move: 85.

mentof. the cam shaft. lOIIgll/Ildl'IlEillYf'WhBRB the engine clutch'is disengaged} And when-; 7 ever 'thew'engine:clutch is disengaged? thez. springs between the main shaft 'anetcamshaft V induce this normal position-relatively: Like 0 wise this normal position of'the-cam' 'slraft andmain shaft relatively is induced whether-i there has been driving torque:

from' the engine to the gears or to the'engine from the" r Worm, thatis from the automobile: wheelslasr in i going down; hill when. the engine vis: used as a brake; ll heneve'r the torque reverses; that-is: Whenever the: engine asia brake upon the automobile wheels rathe'r thanithei engine as a drive agency,-:the cant-shaft will. slow uprelatively andmove'in the rearward direction relatively until it has'wpass'ed: from; the forward engaging' -position"rotatiyely i through the normal; position: and'to the next; position engaging thev rollers :rearwardlyz: That: is; the cams. .29 will move backward to: the next; set of rollersand i engage? them upon the opposite faces or. sides and protrudeith'em in the same manner so thatthe'selected geari;

' or drive then becomes engaged again: for the;

braking action, this reversal :andireengagetment being automatic in its "action. andirbe cornin g induced. whenever the torque" reverses as described: Thus the braking engagement will become: effective whatever the gear or" 5 drive selectedy'but if the operator desireshe; may readily select the low gear-:evenwhen considerable speed has been attained down hill by disengagingthe engine clutch so that the cam 'shaftland main-shaft: attaintheir relative normaltpositions, and he may then move the cam shaft to the gear drive desired and" then re-engage the; engine: clutchwhere 7 u pon the cam shaft will automatically engage the gear selected for thebraking'action, as well asfor the driving-actions 1 ,The engage .ment oflthe rollers is, the same whether; for.-

the-brakingaction or the. driving action ext,

cept. that: the. eams move backward-1y" rota- 1S0 tively until the cams engage the next succeeding rollers backwardly.

While I have shown particular devices and combinations of devices in the illustration of my invention, I contemplate that other devices and combinations of devices may be used in the realization of my invention without departing from the spirit and contemplation of my invention.

That I claim is:

1. In a transmission means, a drive element and a driven element, transmission sets adapted to form driving means between the drive element and the driven element, engagement elements severally related to individual transmission sets and adapted to engage the-related transmission set between the drive ele ment and the driven element, a cam element movable axially of individual elements of the transmission sets and having rotational re lation to the engagement elements and having yieldable means normally stationing the cam element and the engagement elements in an unengaged position relatively and adapted on application of driving torque against the cam element to form engagement through the engagement elements with a selected individual element of a transmission set.

2. In a transmission means, a drive element and a driven element, transmission sets adapted to form driving means between the drive element and the driven element, engagement elements severally related to individual transmission sets and adapted to engage the related transmission set between the drive elementand the driven element, a cam element movable axially of individual elements of the transmission sets and having rotational relation to the engagement elements and having yieldable means normally stationing the cam element and the engagement elements in an unengaged position relatively and adapted on application of driving torque against the cam element to form engagement through the engagement elements with a selected individual element of a transmission set and means Wherebythe axial position of the cam element is manually controlled. 3. In a transmission means, a drive element and a driven element, transmission sets adapted to form driving means between the drive element and the driven element, engagement elements severally related to individual 7 transmission sets and adapted to engage the related transmission set between the drive element and the driven element, a rotatable element movable axially of individual elements of the transmission sets and having rotational relation to the engagement elements and having yieldable means normally stationing the rotatable element and the engagement elements in an unengaged positionrelatively and adapted on application of driving torque against the cam element to form engagement through the engagement elements with a selected individual element of a. transmission set andmeans whereby theaxial positionof the rotatable element is manually controlled.

4. In a transmission means, a drive element and a drlven element, transmissionsets adapted to form driving mean'sbetween the drive elementsand the driven element, engagement elements severallyrelated to indivdualtransmission sets and adapted to engage the related transmission set between the drive'element and the driven element, a rotatable element movable axially ofindividual elements of the transmission sets and adapted on applicationof driving torque against the rotatable element through the engagement elements'to ment in an unengaged position. c 5. A transmisslon means comprising a drive element and a drivenelem'ent,;a carrier shaft having rotatable relative thereto one transmission element of each of a plurality. of

transmission sets, engaging elements several-. 1y related to the transmission elements of the carrier shaft, an inducing element normally of a rotation relative to the carrien'shaft, means whereby the inducing element may be axially located forcooperation with aselecte'd engaging element, and means whereby the torque of drive through the transmission may be imparted to the inducing element for-inducing engagement of a selected transmission element in the driveby its engaging element.

rotatable with the carrier shaft-and capable I 6. A. transmission means comprising a drive element and a driven element, a carrier shaft having concentric therewith one trans- .mission element of each of a plurality of transmission sets, engaging elements several- 1y related to the transmission elements of the carrier shaft, an inducing element having torque connection with one of; the driveiand driven elements and capableof a prescribed rotation relative. to thecarrier shaft, means whereby the inducing element; may be controlled for selection of inducement-of engage- V ment through a selected engagement element,

the inducing element having a means for procuring in the selected relation engagement of the selected engagement element with its transmission element.

7.'A transmission means comprising a drive element and a driven element, a carrier shaft having concentric therewith one" transmission element of each of a plurality of transmission sets, engaging elements severally related to the transmission elements of the carrier shaft and carried by the carrier shaft, an inducing element having torque connection with one of the drive and driven elements and capable of a prescribed rotation relative to the carrier shaft, means whereby the inducing element may be controlled for selection of inducement of engage-' 

